Teardrop Island, And What Samantha Found There
by GreenWallsOfArt
Summary: When eleven-year-old Samantha Parkington returns to Teardrop Island on Piney Point, she discovers it to be a much more magical place than she remembered. Can her mother's sketchbook help her discover the secret behind her greatest childhood memory?
1. Return to Piney Point

Return to Piney Point

In the thick summer air, there was the sound of twittering birds, mixed with the rushing water of Goose Lake, gently reaching through the glass windows of the little cottage on the shore. Constructed entirely from pine logs, it still gave off that exotic smell even after several years. It was surrounded by large bunches of pine trees, locking it away in a safe, comforting utopia of mystery and beauty.

The beautiful sounds reached the ears of a little dark-haired girl inside the cottage, asleep in her bed. She was tangled up in the sheets, as if a dream had made her dance in her sleep. And while the sun rose higher above the trees outside, her brown eyes opened to meet the new day.

In her restless stirring, Samantha Parkington's long chestnut hair, plaited apart into two pigtails, whipped into her face, gently slapping her into reality. Her groggy eyes looked up at the wooden ceiling of her room, recognizing it as the bedroom of her grandmother's summer house at Piney Point.

Samantha sat upright in her bed, slowly enough for her brain to start to awaken. And almost immediately, the sweet, piney smell of the surrounding forest hit her nose, sending a shiver all throughout her. It was so powerful, she found she was shaking her head again, accidentally whipping her braids into her face.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, pushing her braids back behind her shoulders.

Samantha instantly covered her mouth, as she glanced to the bed beside her. Under the fresh blankets, someone stirred. And then, out from under the sheets, popped a head of messy red hair, covering a bright face speckled with freckles. Samantha chuckled, embarrassed, at the newly-awakened face of her best friend, Nellie.

"Good morning, Nellie," Samantha said, smiling sincerely.

"Aw, morning, Samantha," Nellie said, yawning under her gleeful voice. Samantha was momentarily surprised to hear such a thing in her voice. A year of being Samantha's adopted sister had done a lot for Nellie- bringing a heartfelt joy and laughter to her character. She laughed a lot more often, as well as her meek smile popping out more unexpectedly; even Samantha was surprised once in a while when Nellie did that. She giggled loudly just thinking of it.

"Pleasant dreams?" Samantha wanted to know, leaning across her bed in Nellie's direction.

"Oh, you wouldn't believe it!" Nellie said enthusiastically. "I was walking through the woods with you and Bridget and Jenny. And then, we came to a part of the trees where they were made of…guess!"

"Peppermint? Toffee?" Samantha guessed.

"Nope. They were made of white chocolate!" Nellie said, shaking her head. "And the lake near the trees, it was made of melted ice cream. Jenny and Bridget- they stayed behind to nibble at the trees, and then you and I ran, and jumped into the lake. Oh goodness- we got so covered with ice cream that even our hair changed color. Jenny said we looked like baby polar bears."

Samantha laughed, and so did Nellie. They were giggling for so long, and so hard, that for a moment, it seemed like their laughter was bringing the rising sun, coming even higher above the clouds.

Nellie turned her head, and glanced out the window at the bright circle poking out onto the woodsy setting around the cottage. And then, as if on cue, her stomach growled like a hungry bear.

"Come on, Samantha," she said, crawling out from under the covers. "Let's get Bridget and Jenny."

"Yes," Samantha agreed, following her friend. "I wonder what Mrs. Hawkins made for breakfast."

"Imagine if she made pancakes, with blueberries!" Samantha said, stepping quickly down the hall to the other room. "I love her pancakes."

"Me too," Nellie agreed.

Samantha was already at the door, her hand on the golden doorknob. She slowly turned the knob, wincing while it creaked like an old rocking chair. Nellie poked her head in at Samantha's side, her big blue eyes observing the tender scene before them. In the two beds, two long lumps were hidden under the blankets, their middle sections rising and falling with a gentle breathing. Neither of them stirred, giving the indication they could still be asleep.

Samantha put her finger to her lips, and she and Nellie crept on tiptoes onto the carpeted floor; they barely made a peep with their slippered feet. Once inside they split to take up the two beds, and they made careful movements to arouse the sleeping girls.

With a tentative reach, Samantha touched the body under the sheets. But the instant that she did, Jenny popped her head out and threw the blankets on the floor in her swift jolt from sleep. Samantha screamed, stumbling backward into the wall. Nellie had the same reaction, while Bridget came out of her bed like a jack-in-the-box.

"Bridget! Jenny!" Nellie scolded. "Don't do that, you scared us!"

"Jiminy!" Samantha exclaimed. "You both scared us pretty well! We thought that you two were asleep."

"We were," said Bridget. "Until we woke up and we decided to have some fun with whoever came to wake us."

Samantha's face broke out into a grin, and she giggled. "I think you are starting to become more like Agnes and Agatha with each passing day," she said, thinking of her mischievous twin cousins from Mount Bedford.

"We're sorry we made you scream," said Jenny meekly. "We won't do it again."

"It's all right. You're forgiven," said Samantha. "Are you both hungry? Mrs. Hawkins could be cooking up something marvelous."

It wasn't hard getting Bridget and Jenny out of bed when Samantha mentioned what possibilities breakfast held that morning. And indeed, waiting for them in the dining room were Grandmary, the Admiral, and Mrs. Hawkins, serving hot plates practically toppling over with pancakes. She placed them beside a little pitcher of syrup, and a thin butter plate.

Grandmary looked up from her conversation with the Admiral, who greeted the girls with a tip of his night cap. "Good morning, girls," she said.

"Good morning, Grandmary, Admiral," Samantha said, speaking for the group. "What's on the table, Mrs. Hawkins?"

Mrs. Hawkins winked at Samantha, turning to return to the kitchen. "Well, do suppose all you girls lift your forkfuls, and find out that mystery?" she stated, turning on her heel for the door.

Samantha and the others sat down, laying their napkins on their laps, like proper young ladies. They picked up their silverware, and started to pick at their breakfast, slipping their forks into their mouths delicately.

An excited thought popped into Samantha's mind, but she had to bite her tongue to keep from talking through a mouthful. She swallowed quickly, but barely remembered to wipe her mouth of maple syrup. "That's not blueberry," she noted.

"It's chocolate chips," Nellie added, looking with a gleam in her eyes at the pancakes on her plate.

"Did you request them, Grandmary?" Samantha wanted to know.

Grandmary shook her head, gesturing with her eyes at the Admiral. He winked at the girls, grinning widely. "Mrs. Hawkins likes to surprise you girls enough," he said, "so I decided to add my own touch to this meal as well. How do you like it?"

"It's wonderful, we love it!" Samantha exclaimed, almost jumping up from her seat. But another bite to her tongue told her to stay in her seat, poised upright like Grandmary told her.

"Tell me, girls," the Admiral said, peering at them all. "What kind of adventure will you all have today? It's going to be a beautiful day from what I gather."

"Swimming!" said Jenny and Nellie, together.

"Walking in the woods!" declared Bridget.

"Rowing to Teardrop Island!" Samantha stated.

Grandmary gave Samantha a strange look, like she had said a bad word instead of simply saying what she wished to do.

"Samantha," she intoned, "I'd like you to recall what happened last year. The last time you took Agnes and Agatha out to the island, you all were nearly killed in that terrible storm. And, oh, bless the poor Admiral's heart. He and I were worried sick for you."

"Grandmary, we know better this time," Samantha said, looking right at Grandmary to better prove herself. "I'm eleven years old now. I believe I can remember things better, and, I don't think we would stay for the whole day. We promise we can be back before sunset."

Despite Samantha's clear confidence, Grandmary wasn't shaken from her opinion. "You _are_ eleven years old, Samantha. I trust that you and Nellie can be responsible for yourselves, and Bridget and Jenny. But, I still worry for you. Given, it's not too long a journey there, but you must not forget to tie up the boat and not to stray too far."

"So…are we allowed to go?" Samantha asked hopefully.

"I don't by any means want to trample your fun," Grandmary said woefully, "but I don't want to take such a huge risk by letting you go over by yourselves."

"I can't say that I disagree, entirely," the Admiral added.

The girls looked at the Admiral in slight disappointment.

"But if Samantha can lead us through a storm and keep her wits about her, then why not make another adventure?" he said, making a grand gesture out the window towards the lake.

"Oh, would you, Admiral?" Samantha asked, looking excitedly at him.

"Well, why not?" he said. "I have the utmost confidence in you, Samantha. You're a great bunch of brave girls."

Grandmary shook her head, giggling. "And I suppose I shall have no peace until I agree to your proposal," she stated, looking fondly at the Admiral, who returned her expression.

Samantha, Nellie, Bridget, and Jenny smiled collectively.

"All right," Samantha said, immediately taking charge. "After breakfast, we can make our voyage."

"We can bring some art supplies and some snacks," Nellie suggested.

"And games!" Bridget and Jenny said together.

Samantha nodded. "I'll also have to go up to the attic."

"For what?" Nellie wanted to know.

"I'll show you," Samantha replied. "It's something very special, and it might make our adventure there more meaningful."

She looked at Grandmary and the Admiral, and they winked back at her knowingly.


	2. Piney Point to Teardrop Island

2) Piney Point to Teardrop Island

By the time Samantha, Nellie, Bridget, and Jenny were starting out, the sun was already starting to shine on the water like crystals. Grandmary and the Admiral were standing on the pier, watching the girls sail off onto the lake. They waved towards them, as though they were seeing them off on some voyage on the same page as Columbus's. The girls didn't reply much to the adults, as they were working to row the large boat across the wide expanse of water.

Samantha sat in the center of the boat with Nellie, helping her to man the rows. Nellie had some trouble at first, pushing the thick paddle through the waves, but she found it surprisingly easy after a few strokes. Bridget and Jenny became excited after watching her, and were begging for turns at rowing in Nellie's place.

Soon enough, when Nellie had in turn helped her sisters learn to row the boat, Samantha stepped from her place, and sat at the bow of the boat. There was a cool wind that morning, but the thick sleeves of her white sailor dress kept her warm against the elements. As the breeze rustled her dress, she slapped her hand to the top of her head to keep her white hat from flying away. And finally, after sweeping her bangs from her face, Samantha could see what lay ahead.

With Nellie and her sisters helping to stroke the boat across the lake, they were coming to perhaps the most challenging part of their journey. At one of the uppermost parts of the lake, there was a narrow stretch of water. But it was extremely thin and was littered with sharp boulders that stuck up through the water like thorns on a rosebush. The depths dipped in that part of the lake, so the water oftentimes rushed and swerved in several directions. Of course, such an obstacle was not too difficult to maneuver on a day like this.

But at night, and during stormy weather- well, that was a whole other story.

Samantha was a courageous girl, but she still got the chills thinking of what she and Agnes and Agatha had gone through that previous summer. In a thunderstorm- the awful kind where the wind rushed like a hurricane, and the water waved as though giant hands were madly sweeping it to and fro- the rocks were hidden by the great sweeping of the waves, and, if a boat should ever crash into one of them, that boat's passengers would be at the mercy of Mother Nature.

Despite Samantha's nervousness, she was still unable to shake off the butterflies in her stomach. Teardrop Island was a special place- to her, Grandmary, and even for her late parents. Years back, before Samantha came to live with Grandmary, Samantha's parents would take her by boat to the island, where they would play, have picnics, and simply relax on a blanket. It was a land of extraordinary beauty, full of waterfalls and rocks to climb and caverns to explore. There were even several patches of exotic-looking wildflowers that could be made into the most beautiful flower tiaras around.

Her train of thought was broken suddenly, when the boat turned a corner of the lake, and there lay the rocks, colored white and blue by the water that gently splashed against them.

"There are the rocks!" Samantha said, jumping back down to Nellie and her sisters. "Bridget, let me have that oar. Nellie and I need to get us through the pass."

Bridget didn't argue, as she passed the paddle to Samantha, who sat down and began to stroke through the water. She turned to speak to Nellie.

"Be careful, Nellie," she told her. "Rowing through these rocks takes a lot of concentration. Just keep your eyes open for them, and push the boat away using your paddle."

"All right," Nellie agreed, gripping the paddle tighter in both hands, and turning her alert gaze to the water, already starting to get rocky.

Following Nellie's action, Samantha took her own paddle and pushed it forward and backward, almost never taking her eyes away from the rocks. But before she knew it, the boat rocked and bumped mildly against them, like an automobile on a gravely road. But Samantha wasn't afraid. She pressed on, pushing off from every rock and kept a picture of the island in her mind.

"Look there!" Jenny said, pointing ahead.

Samantha almost didn't react; she was so busy pushing the boat between the rocks. In fact, she was concentrating so hard that she didn't notice right away that her sailor hat was starting to fall over her face.

"Samantha!" Jenny repeated. "Samantha! Over there! I think it's the island!"

That was all the signal Samantha needed to avert her gaze from the swishing, slashing water to the beauty enveloping before her.

"Land ho!" Bridget hollered. "I've always wanted to say that."

Jenny, who was also shaking in her eagerness, turned to her sister. "How long have you wanted to be a sailor?" she wondered aloud.

"Since I saw the island," Bridget answered simply, pointing at the land inching closer to their boat.

The two girls grinned, and then fell to the boat laughing, while Nellie and Samantha pushed the boat further in the direction of the island.

With Bridget and Jenny ducking down in the boat, Samantha could more easily see the island. So, this was the place that had been haunting her summer dreams, she thought to herself. Well, here it was- with its glorious waterfalls and gleaming boulders and lush green grasses, flourishing with summer fever.

Samantha smiled. She didn't remember the island being this beautiful. It was almost like it knew that the girls were going to visit and was actually _waiting _for them to step on its sandy beach. And for just a moment, as she watched for the beige sparkle of sand, she thought she saw a pretty little violet sprout right where her eyes fell…

"Samantha!"

She heard Nellie's cry when she suddenly felt the boat jolt gently against the shore, embedding itself into the sand. Samantha swept her hair from her face, and dropped her oar, standing up slowly to see what happened. Her mind was still so dazed from seeing the island, and even now she couldn't believe they were there.

Jenny leapt on the bow of the boat, and then, lifting her skirt, jumped onto the damp sand. "Like you said, Bridget, land ho," she said, pointing at her.

Nellie put down her own oar, and, taking Samantha's hand, they helped each other from the boat, bringing their feet down on the beach. Samantha wobbled on her feet, the last ounces of dazed joy starting to leave her. Nellie squeezed her friend's hand tighter, and walked with her further onto the sand.

"Samantha, are you all right?" Nellie asked her. "Are you feeling sick?"

Samantha shook her head, letting go of Nellie to readjust her sailor hat and the whistle hanging from around her neck. And instead of speaking, she turned on her feet, her eyes wide and bright as butterfly wings. Her feet seemed to move with a will of their own, going deeper into the island with an unwavering purpose.

Nellie and her sisters looked on, both at Samantha, and at where they had come to. But Samantha was moving so fast into the island, that they could only follow her, and find out soon enough the magic of this mysterious haven.


	3. Finding the Waterfall

3) Finding the Waterfall

If Samantha had been like a little sparrow in spring that morning, she was now a swift eagle. She was walking so fast into the island, weaving in between the pine trees and brush that she left Nellie and her sisters eating her dust, her basket pack bouncing on her back. At times, she was bouncing on her feet so much that the contents flopped all the way to the sky, before plopping back in again, nearly falling to the ground, but Samantha was much too anxious to notice.

"Samantha! Wait for us!" Nellie called after her.

"We want to come with you too!" Jenny added, cupping her hands around her lips.

Samantha finally turned her head, though she didn't stop moving. "Once we get to the waterfall, then we can stop."

"What waterfall?" Bridget wanted to know between heavy breaths.

Samantha left Bridget's question hanging in the air while she zipped between another bunch of pine trees and mossy rocks. She remembered a year ago observing that this forest was like the magical one in the _Sleeping Beauty _fairy tale. She couldn't have been more right. The path beneath her feet was there, but it was so overgrown with grass and fallen leaves that it was barely noticeable. The trees above her seemed to bend out of her way while she walked through them; it was probably just the wind, but Samantha liked imagining that the trees could see her coming through. And when the sun rays poked between them, Samantha smiled right back at it.

Behind her, there came a crackling and snapping of twigs. Momentarily snapped from her reverie, Samantha watched Nellie and her sisters charge up towards her, their shoes sticky with sap and pine needles sticking into their clothes. Nellie even had a large pine bough stuck to the top of her head; not that she even appeared to notice.

"I never thought this pine forest would be so big," Nellie noted, scanning the bending trees and wavering sunlight.

"But it's so beautiful," Jenny gushed. "Did you see the way the trees moved when we walked through? It's just like they're making way for a princess on a carriage of flowers!"

Samantha smiled; she liked Jenny's vision of the forest better than her own. "Well, that's part of the fun, Jenny," she said. "No one else has come to this island except for me, my parents, Agnes and Agatha, and now us. It's like our own little secret that only comes alive when we come to it."

Jenny's bright eyes sparkled. "You really think so, Samantha?"

Samantha nodded, before she stood up and pointed through the trees to the bright sunlight at the other end, hovering over little patches of colorful wildflowers. "Once we get through these woods, we will find the waterfall. It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen, and my favorite part of the island. Can't you hear the water, streaming down from the rocks?"

Bridget and Jenny both leaned forward, and cupped their hands around their ears. Nellie leaned her head towards the sunlight at the end of the forest, and ever so slowly, her eyes widened. Bridget and Jenny did just that, and they grinned all the way to their ears.

Jenny was still before, suddenly, she pounded through the forest, dragging Nellie and Bridget along with her. Samantha jumped back a little, surprised by Jenny's instant burst of excited energy, but she laughed, watching while Nellie and Bridget stumbled through the grass, pleading for their sister to slow down before she hurt herself. Shaking her head, Samantha followed suit, but not before readjusting her basket pack to journey the rest of the woods.

By the time she reached the end of the forest, her three adopted sisters were already standing in a straight line in the middle of the sunny clearing. They were all still, clearly in awe of the fantastic sight before them.

Not very far off, was a great wall of rocks, surrounded by a nearby cluster of lush trees. And from those rocks, came a glorious stream of clear blue water, glimmering in the sunlight while it rushed down to the pond beneath. Where the water crashed, was a gentle foaming, tiny bubbles floating onto the water like lily pads before they popped at the shore. The lovely green shoreline of the pond was littered with fallen flowers from the trees, while bushes of wild roses speckled the grass. When the sun caught the spraying water just right, little rainbows dance through the space before they vanished into thin air. Samantha heard Nellie, Bridget, and Jenny gasp altogether while she stepped beside them.

"Oh, Samantha…!" Nellie started.

Bridget put her hand to her mouth. "I guess I know why you asked us to bring swimming suits." She looked up at Samantha. "I thought we were going to go swimming in the lake, but I think I'll like this a whole lot better."

"I know you will," Samantha said, starting for the pond. She gestured back at them swiftly. "C'mon, everyone. I want to show you something now."

Nellie, Bridget, and Jenny came running alongside Samantha, their footsteps pounding the grass. "Oh, my, what is it? What is it, Samantha?" Jenny asked, grabbing Samantha by her arm as she unpacked her basket pack.

From her pack, Samantha removed a thin maroon book. On the cover, it read, "My Sketchbook", and when Samantha opened it, they found the written words that Samantha had since learned by heart- "Happy Memories of Teardrop Island. Sketches and Watercolors by Lydia."

Nellie peered over to look at the book, her eyes scanning slowly over the words. "Samantha? Did you mother write that message?"

"Yes, she did," Samantha replied. "I think she might've owned this sketchbook since before I was born, but she really made it a beautiful thing."

"I know, I know," Jenny piped up. "'A thing of beauty is a joy forever.' Our dad told us that."

"Did he?" Samantha asked, bending down to show Jenny the words her mother wrote. "Well, Jiminy, then I suppose your dad was right. My mother has some of the best artwork I think I've ever seen."

"Can we see it, Samantha?" Bridget said, looking over Jenny's head to see the book.

Samantha answered by handing the book to Nellie, and she smoothed out the picnic blanket she had laid out. When she had removed a few apples and pieces of bread from her pack, she patted the space next to her, and her adopted sisters plopped down, right next to the shore of the pond. Jenny stuck her finger in the water, and swirled it around to make some graceful ripples, gazing at her distorted reflection.

"Let's see," Samantha said to herself while she turned the pages. All the while, Nellie, Bridget, and Jenny watched in silence, awed by the simple drawings of the island animals- birds, fluffy-tailed squirrels, butterflies, ladybugs, bees, and flowers. And then, simultaneously, their heads leaned in when the drawings became large watercolor paintings. The brushstrokes for each one were light and delicate, and as sweet-looking as a glass angel.

At last, Samantha stopped turning the pages when she came to one painting in particular. The waterfall and its pond took up a good part of the painting, wherein stood a young man and a small girl in the water, gentle ripples about their feet. The little dark-haired girl, no older than three years, looked up at the man, and he smiled down at her, holding her tiny hands. Both of their eyes seemed to be sparkling, as if there was more to their expression than just a glance. It was amazing; with the natural sunlit glow of the water, and the love deeply reflected in the girl and the man's eyes, the painting seemed to come alive. Samantha even thought for a moment she saw the ripples at her three-year-old ankles expanding in the water, and the trees wave in the summer breeze.

"Samantha, did you see fairies at the waterfall?"

Shaking her head, Samantha looked sideways at Jenny. "I'm sorry, Jenny, what did you say?"

"I said, did you see fairies at the waterfall? When you were there with your parents?" Jenny repeated. "'Cause I think that some fairies might live under the bushes or by the rocks. The waterfall is too beautiful to be left alone out here in the middle of the island with nobody to look after it."

Bridget giggled, but then shrugged. "I don't know, Jenny. I don't think fairies-"

Nellie put her finger to her lips, making a shushing sound with her teeth.

Samantha ignored this interlude, looking over to observe the waterfall. Watching the rainbows sparkle in the mist near the water, she could instantly see fairies living there. It could be very pretty indeed, if fairies sprinkled their magic dust over everything, and made it all glow in the sun like colorful fire. She almost shrugged at the thought, but maybe fairies were making the pretty little bubbles that floated from the rocks to the shoreline before they burst. She never saw foamy bubbles that big, nor that long-lasting.

Still, she liked the idea that the source of her mother's greatest painting could be the site of hidden magic.

"I don't remember seeing fairies, Jenny," she finally said. "But, what if there were more than just fairies?" She turned a knowing eye to Nellie, who grinned back as she looked to her little sister.

"Yes, Jenny," Nellie murmured. "Maybe…maybe there are mermaids hiding in the water. They can make their crowns out of the bubbles on the water, and when they need new ones, they hide behind the waterfall and get the fresh bubbles when they appear."

Both Bridget and Jenny laughed.

"Now you're just pulling our legs," Bridget said jokingly, nudging Nellie's arm.

"Samantha, do you really think so?" Jenny wondered aloud.

Samantha just shrugged. "I don't know. But I suppose we won't ever know unless we get into the water." She stood up, and dug through her basket pack for her swimming suit.

"But, Samantha, wouldn't getting into the water scare off the mermaids?" Jenny wanted to know, tugging on Samantha's sleeve anxiously.

When Samantha finally dug out her swimming suit, she simply looked at Jenny and said, "No. This is our island, and they know we're here. They're just going to wait for us, and watch us make our own bubble crowns."

And with that, Samantha pulled off her sailor dress, and stepped into her suit. Nellie, Bridget, and Jenny weren't hesitant to follow her, before they all stood along the edge of the pond.

"The water's cold," said Jenny, dipping her finger in again to prove her point.

"Then why don't we all jump in?" Samantha suggested. "Then we can be shivering altogether."

"On three, Jenny?" Nellie offered her sister.

"How about five?" Bridget answered for Jenny.

"All right then, on the count of five," Samantha said. "All ready? One…two…"

"…three…four…" said Nellie.

"Five!"

Altogether, the girls, with their eyes shut tightly, leapt from the grassy shore and into the water. Their feet first broke the glassy surface, sending a great big splash through the air as they all became submerged in the water. Bubbles rose all around them, tickling their bare skin while they reached above them, and their hair and clothes billowed around them like great wings. When they swam for the surface, they became almost like mermaids themselves, with their long hair flowing around their shoulders like silky satin, and their limbs moving fluidly through the space.

All four girls gulped in big breaths when they emerged from their jump. Their hair was plastered to their necks, and they were shivering slightly, but their eyes were wide with the excitement of their adventure.

Jenny's eyes were the widest. "Wait! The mermaids made us bubble crowns! Look!" She pointed wildly at the foamy bubbles still sitting on top of Nellie's head.

Samantha looked down at the bubbles still fizzing around them from their jump. Then she looked at Bridget, who also still had some stray bubbles sticking to her head. Indeed, they were arranged in a way that it actually resembled a crown.

"You have it too, Samantha!" Nellie remarked. "And you, Bridget."

"We all do," Samantha exclaimed.

Jenny splashed her hands through the water. "Come on. Why don't we go and find the fairies and mermaids!" Already, she was wading through, starting towards the foam at the bottom of the waterfall.

Samantha, Bridget, and Nellie looked at Jenny, then at each other. With a collective shrug, and a wide grin, they swam after her, sticking close to one another in case one of them actually did spot a real speck of fairy dust.


	4. Behind the Tunnel

4) Behind the Tunnel

It was a long time before any one of the girls admitted they were tired. All around the pond, they took turns leading each other to the rocks, and the brushes of roses, to search for any sign of magical life. While they searched, the girls enjoyed swishing the water with their hands to make all kinds of patterns with the ripples, and picking some of the wild roses to put in their hair. They tied the roses together like dandelions, carefully picking off any thorns before they put them on their heads.

"We look like real fairies with the roses," Bridget remarked, looking at herself in the wavering water.

Jenny, however, appeared sad. "I just wish we could find some real fairies. I so thought they would be here with us."

Nellie looked forlornly at her sister, starting to readjust some of the roses on Jenny's crown. "Don't worry, the fairies are around here somewhere," she said. "They're just hiding from us, like Samantha told you."

Samantha, who had been peeking behind a large pebble, glanced up, brushing her damp hair from her cheeks. "That's right, just like the mermaids," she added. "They're around here somewhere…"

After tapping her rose crown back into place, Samantha ran her hand along the smooth stones beside the waterfall. They felt like slime under her fingers, the moss tickling her skin gently. The slippery rock made her think of the time her cousin, Agnes, slipped on one of these stones and introduced her and her other cousin, Agatha, to the fun of swimming in the pool. The water had felt so cold on Samantha's head when she had stepped under the waterfall, and now, it was warm from having been in it for so long. Samantha laughed when she thought of all the adventures she last had on the island. And she smiled even further when she thought of reliving all the same places with her adopted sisters. It could be the grandest adventure of all time!

In fact, Samantha was close enough to the waterfall that she dove under the foaming liquid, and just let the rushing water fall onto her shoulders. She jolted her body to feel the water splash onto her skin, as if it might seep all the way to her bones, but the sensation was magical. Even through her closed eyes, she saw the sparkle of the sun on the water, and could hear the warm laughter of her friends. And while the cold slowly washed away, Samantha could imagine that the waterfall was reaching down to hug her, wrapping her inside so that she could not escape easily.

And why should she? Inside the waterfall, where so many fond memories had been forged into the stones and mud beneath the water, that she felt safe.

Joyful.

"_Samantha. Samantha, you are here_."

"Yes, I know," she answered back, absentmindedly. Samantha grinned; it was true. She did love being here.

But then, she snapped her eyes open, yelping when some water accidentally splashed into her face.

The voice she had heard- it hadn't been one of her friends.

It was the voice of a little girl, but it was milk-smooth, and warm, like honey in the summer.

Samantha turned to look at the waterfall. She stood still, and strained her ears to listen for the voice again. It had sounded like it came from right behind her. But now, it felt like it had actually been from a thousand miles away. Her heart beat beneath her swimsuit so that the delicate blue fabric pulsed, while she didn't dare breathe.

Gingerly, Samantha stepped closer to the waterfall and said, "Hello?" It came through her lips as barely a whisper.

The only sound she heard afterwards, was the gentle whisper of the waterfall in front of her face, and the gay laughter of her adopted sisters behind her.

"Jiminy!" Samantha exclaimed. "I could have sworn I heard someone. What…?"

Her voice trailed off, while she started inching closer to the waterfall. Samantha put her hand through the water, and anticipated the slippery rocks to knock against her pruny fingers. Her entire body was stiff, while she waited…and waited for her fingers to touch something, anything…

She touched nothing.

By this time, Samantha was reaching so far behind the water that her entire arm, and half of her body, was curtained by the falls. And now, her hair was being turned to watery chocolate by inching her head beneath the water. She closed her eyes to protect them against the spray…

"Whoa!"

Samantha stumbled on her feet, and fell all the way behind the waterfall, both feet leaving the ground for a fraction of a second. Her heart choked in her throat while she struggled to catch herself, but wound up falling flat onto her face, while a surprised cry barely escaped her lips.

Lifting her face from the water, Samantha coughed and sputtered hard enough that she had to heave a breath out of her throat. Water dripped from her nose and hair, so she swept it all away with one motion of her hand, gathering her hair in her fingers to squeeze it dry. And then, shaking her head to clear her senses again, Samantha stood up on her feet.

Now that she could see clearer, Samantha felt a jolt in her heartbeat. Instead of there being a wall of rocks and earth, as she had anticipated, there was a long, narrow tunnel, stretching for several yards in front of her. She could see the light at the end, but it was just a miniscule circle from where she stood.

"What?" she asked herself again, with a shiver. Taking her first step, Samantha put her arms around her shoulders. It was cold in the darkness of the tunnel, and she felt just a little mite frightened. This one unfamiliar part of the island suddenly made everything seem much larger and unknown, and Samantha wished that she had stayed away from the waterfall. She was reminded of all those explorer stories that she had heard on the phonograph, where some daring soul was trapped in some unknown place, and had no choice but to press forth into the unknown.

She would have laughed, thinking of all those times she had shared in Agnes and Agatha's house, listening to those stories. But now that she was in one, she wanted out.

But then, where exactly did this tunnel lead to? And, just how had it been here? Could it be so hollow under such a fast running waterfall?

Questions were reeling through Samantha's brain before she could even conceive thoroughly of them. And in spite of her chilled skin, and her sopping wet swimming dress, she felt the driving urge to press on into this new adventure. Maybe if she was lucky enough, she would actually find a fairy, or some other creature that no one saw at the waterfall.

But she didn't even think of going back to get Nellie, Bridget, and Jenny.

Samantha plopped through the water, while her swimming slippers splashed and swooshed as if they themselves were made of liquid. Droplets of water slipped from the roof of the tunnel, scaring Samantha when one of them plopped gently onto her nose. She jumped back into the water, but didn't fall over again, so she pressed forth towards the light.

And the closer Samantha got to the opening of the tunnel, the wider her eyes opened, and the more the gooseflesh rose on her skin.

Beyond the tunnel, she could see the thousand glows of flowers, waving in the wind like a kaleidoscope toy. And coming closer into view, there were hills. Each one had a sparkling coat of pure green grass, which, like the flowers, waved in the wind. Trees cast shadows upon the ground, their separate branches bending and sweeping, while each little green leaf fluttered as delicately as butterfly wings.

Samantha stepped beyond the darkness of the tunnel, and the goose-bumps on her arms fell back into her skin. The sun was warm like summer, and when she walked into the grass, the long blades seemed to caress her cold toes, tickling her and chilling her at the same time.

A breeze pressed against her sopping clothes, but Samantha didn't shiver. Instead, she took her arms away from her shoulders; the breeze was as comforting as the sun, and she found a wide smile relaxing her face, which had been tight from trying to keep out the cold in the tunnel. In fact, her cheeks were feeling quite hot, the skin turning pink as the tulips sprouting beneath her feet.

Samantha shot her head down to observe the flora under her. Everywhere she stepped, there was every kind of flower she could imagine, and for just a moment, she thought she saw one grow out of thin air.

Did it grow…perhaps, because of _her_?

Samantha tentatively stepped to another spot on the ground, and waited for another flower to grow in place of her foot. She lifted her toes from the grass, and bent down to observe any possible growth.

After a long moment, it felt like the only thing she was watching grow, was the grass.

"Hmm," Samantha said thoughtfully, standing back up. "That's strange. But, still, I didn't know this place would be so beautiful. Now I wish I brought the others with me. They would really like it here…"

"_Just as I knew you would, Samantha."_

Samantha jumped five feet in the air, but this time, she wasn't prepared to let the voice get away again.

"Who's there?" she asked immediately, whirling around in the direction the voice had come from.

Then, she looked down again, as from only feet away from her, some bright patches of lilacs started to grow. Once one patch had grown, another started just inches from it. One by one, they came closer and closer to Samantha, who didn't know whether she should run, or watch in utter rapture.

"Oh, Jiminy!" she exclaimed. "What is this? And, who are you?"

"_My name isn't Jiminy_," the voice whispered. Samantha sucked in a quick, deep breath. The voice was coming from right in front of her.

And within a millisecond, Samantha was looking into deep, blue eyes, set inside of a bright face spotted with freckles. Strawberry blonde hair fell around the smiling face, upon which sprouted several colors of rosebuds. Samantha tried not to look too surprised, but it looked as if they were growing right out of her head.

"…_but I am a spirit…_"


	5. The Rose Queen

5) The Rose Queen

Samantha gazed into the eyes of the child in front of her. Well, at least, she looked like a child. The bright blue eyes on her face showed knowledge and wisdom beyond a child her age. Her strawberry hair was long and straight, and it shone just like a newborn insect's wings. There were roses all along the crown of her head, grouped together so that they actually formed a golden tiara, embedded with sparkling jewels of many colors. But the stems never showed themselves, giving Samantha the impression that the flowers might actually be attached to her scalp.

Then, there was her dress. This child wore a long, sparkling gown that looked like it was sewn from real rose petals, literally stitched together piece by piece. A silken band of stems circled her waist, where two strands of ribbon drifted in the wind. In fact, the entire skirt of the dress was drifting, as loosely as a blanket on a clothesline. It was beautiful, the way the roses glowed in the sun, and out of nowhere, multi-colored rose petals appeared from the folds of the dress, blowing away into the sky.

"I am the Rose Queen," the child said, smiling at Samantha, and sweeping her skirt aside to bow low.

Samantha was speechless in sight of this unusual girl, but she still managed to smile back and bow her head in acknowledgement.

"Your dress is beautiful," was all she said.

"Thank you," the Rose Queen said. She stopped suddenly, tapping a finger against her lips. "Come to think of it, I haven't heard those words for over a thousand years. Or…was it just a decade, or so?"

Samantha chuckled. "I don't believe it," she said. "Are…you a spirit?"

The Rose Queen nodded. "Yes. I've been on this island for as long as I can remember, living among these flowers, and these trees." She walked into a regal stride, and her dress trailed over the plants. Samantha was surprised to hear that, when the Rose Queen crossed the grass, a mysterious sound—like jingle bells banging a piano—reached her ears. The plants flowed gently, as though they were pleased to be so near a being as divine as the Rose Queen.

"The flowers," said Samantha. "They're…they're talking to you, aren't they?"

The Rose Queen turned back to Samantha, with an expression that was unreadable to her. "It's language, of course," she said. "But, not quite intended towards me."

Samantha was confused. "You're their queen, aren't you? Shouldn't they always talk to you?"

The Rose Queen laughed—a sweet, gentle sound that matched the sounds of the flowers in the feelings it stirred in Samantha. "This may be surprising to you, but no one has to be a queen of the roses to make flowers talk. In fact, the flowers speak to all who walk over them. It only takes a moment to listen to what they tell you—whether or not you choose to believe it."

Samantha gazed down at the flowers, bending down at last to peer closer at them. She had to laugh, as the grass tickled her hands, and she touched the flower nearest her. Between her fingers, she clenched at a little yellow rose, careful to avoid the thorns, but curiously stroking the petals, like she was petting a kitten.

"Do…do you have something to say, little rose?" Samantha asked, leaning her head closer towards it.

The Rose Queen bent down to Samantha's level. "I like that you're so interested," she said. "Though I should tell you—flowers are tender little things. They never ask for an invitation to speak. They simply enjoy the fact that someone is there to feel and smell what they offer the world."

"And, they can hear anyone?" Samantha wondered.

"Absolutely," said the Rose Queen with a nod of her child-like head.

"Hmm." Samantha once more curled the rose's petals in her fingers, pondering the Rose Queen's words. Her heart raced as she fathomed the idea of a flower understanding her, and even wanting to talk to her, when it couldn't speak English as she could. It was fascinating—like something out of her fairy tale book.

Then, she gasped, sucking in a quick breath. The more she touched the rose petals, she found there came a sharp feeling through her arm, like it was starting to fall asleep. But Samantha could instantly tell that was not the case. She shook her head, to be sure she wasn't just confusing this with the excitement rolling through her, but the feeling was pungent as before.

"You know, the yellow rose is a symbol of friendship, and joy," the Rose Queen remarked.

Samantha looked up, though she didn't take her hands away from the rose. "Really?" she said.

The Rose Queen nodded sweetly.

Samantha laughed, falling back softly into the grass behind her. "I never thought it would be possible to be friends with a flower."

"Most people don't," said the Rose Queen. "I myself didn't know I could, until I found myself on this island."

Samantha looked at her new friend thoughtfully. "It's odd," she noted. "I thought that, since you were the Rose Queen, that you had always known things about flowers that others don't."

The Rose Queen smiled, and spread out her gown as she sat beside Samantha, the skirt fanning across the flowers in the same jingle-bell-piano sound. She looked at Samantha with a face that accentuated her tiny features, reminding Samantha that she was still a spirit in child form.

"Being a spirit is complicated business, Samantha, my friend," she said. "We have never been in the same form forever. That's the idea about spirits—they change over time, learning new things in order to flourish in their new positions. And whether or not you choose to believe me—I was human once."

Samantha gave the Rose Queen a long, curious look, her friend's words dawning on her.

She shook her head slightly, but not enough to stimulate a reaction in the Rose Queen's face. Samantha looked back and forth a few times between the Rose Queen, and the flowers, thoughts swirling across her mind like shooting stars.

Finally, she touched the Rose Queen's hand.

It was solid, like a real human being's.

The Rose Queen nodded sympathetically. "But you mustn't be scared of me, Samantha," she whispered. "I am a benevolent spirit, and would never do anything to hurt you, nor anyone else. Trust me, the very thought makes me shiver." As if on cue, she shook, causing her skirt to waver like grass does in a high breeze.

"No, I'm not worried about you," Samantha spoke up. "It's only that…well, I'm confused. Of course, I know you're a spirit. But, of all the places in the universe, why come here?"

"You'll soon find that Teardrop Island is more extraordinary a place than you could have ever pictured it," said the Rose Queen. "If you would like to come with me, you will discover what else makes this island so special to those out there like me."

"You mean…?" Samantha started to say.

The Rose Queen stood up, and held out her hand to Samantha. "I know you haven't seen this island since a year ago, but believe me when I tell you that there are things no one else but us spirits can see. So, will you come with me?"

Samantha stood up so that she was right next to the Rose Queen. She looked right into the spirit girl's eyes, noticing how brightly they glowed, even without the aid of sunlight. Samantha couldn't deny that she was drawn to the adventures this spirit was offering. It was a chance to see the place her parents took her to—where they died. And the Rose Queen did say—she would show Samantha places that only the spirit world knew about, that which she would never discover without the Rose Queen's help.

Slowly, Samantha reached out to grasp the spirit's hand.


	6. The Cherub Prince

5) The Cherub Prince

It only took a split second for Samantha to realize she was flying. She still felt the Rose Queen's hand between her fingers, but she felt a drop in her heart when she looked below her.

They were standing on top of a swirling cloud of flowers. Thousands of petals twirled about in a little whirlwind, stirring Samantha's hair as she bent her head to look at this wondrous thing. Petals of all colors kept a solid grounding beneath Samantha's feet, while spinning to keep her and the Rose Queen above the ground, and, while they moved about, the petals flew away into the sky, like a molting bird in flight.

Quickly, Samantha jerked her head back up, noticing the landscape of the island spread out like a great tapestry below her. She was so entranced that she found her foot moving to get closer to this amazing spectacle. But when her foot gave way beneath her, the Rose Queen grabbed hold of Samantha's hand, pulling her back up with surprising strength. She held onto Samantha, putting her back on her feet again.

"I'd watch my feet, if I were you," the Rose Queen said gently.

"Yes," Samantha breathed. "But…it's all so beautiful!"

"I suppose you have never been up this high before?"

Samantha shook her head. "The idea of flying for real is still pretty new," she said. "But I'll bet the Wright brothers never could have invented something as wonderful as this."

The Rose Queen grinned. "I try not to draw attention to my abilities," she said.

"How could you not?" Samantha wanted to know.

"I may be called a queen, Samantha, but it's not my nature to show off." The Rose Queen spoke as if she were apologizing; she even put her hands up as if to brush away an invisible obstacle.

"It's not showing off if you're just bringing us somewhere," Samantha explained. "I mean, we're just traveling by these flowers, and you're not throwing your magic about like it's a toy."

"That's because I do not see it that way," replied the Rose Queen. "I'm a spirit, and spirits are not supposed to do such frivolous things. We do magic for the good of our home, and that home is this island!"

"Are you the only spirit around here?" Samantha asked.

The Rose Queen replied by ducking quickly onto the flowers, yanking Samantha down with her. Samantha screamed as, overhead, a great bird swooped through the sky. It had long wings the length of a motorcar, and sweeping tail feathers as white as fresh milk. Its feathers seemed to sparkle against the sky, shining like snow when the sun met it.

"Wow," Samantha breathed.

And then, just as the bird was turning back, another figure appeared amongst the downy feathers. At first, Samantha couldn't tell who it was, but she noticed it was a young boy when he put his hands in the air, falling back, as his bird soared back in Samantha and the Rose Queen's direction.

Samantha prepared to duck, closing her eyes and bending down towards the flowers. But the Rose Queen didn't follow her. Instead, she stood tall, and waved her hand.

"And a wonderful morning to you!" she yelled to the boy on the bird.

The boy steered the great bird so that he floated alongside the Rose Queen's magical flowers. Samantha could feel the flapping of the bird's wings, almost afraid to look up at it. Although, when she did, there was no denying her amazement.

The boy riding the bird was no older than Samantha. He had curly brown hair, ruffled by the breeze, but decorated by a silver crown speckled with sapphires and diamonds. He had a white peasant shirt on, which billowed majestically around his body, secured by a black belt. Periwinkle tights covered his legs, ended with clean black boots. And the sunlight only accentuated his features, making his skin glow with angelic power. He seemed human, but Samantha could see that, from the way he rode the great bird, that he wasn't ordinary by any means. Respectfully, Samantha bowed her head.

"Samantha," said the Rose Queen, "this is my good friend, the Cherub Prince. Your Highness, this is Samantha Parkington."

The Cherub Prince bowed his head back at Samantha, and the bird followed, but he didn't say or do much beyond that.

"It's good to meet you," Samantha said, picking up her skirts in a delicate curtsy.

The Cherub Prince smiled. "You're a polite young lady," he noted. Samantha started at the sound of his voice. It was just as delicate, and musical, as the Rose Queen's. But it was lighter, gentler, like the breathy sound of wind blowing through a tree. In fact, the Cherub Prince seemed to have that kind of air about him—like he actually could be a child-like angel.

"Where do you come from?" Samantha asked, not taking her eyes off of the spirit.

"It's just as my name suggests, Samantha," he answered. "I'm a spirit that embodies the dreamy air of a child's dreams. And"—he patted the soft feathers of the great bird—"I am the heart of flight on this island."

Samantha slowly approached the bird, not quite daring yet to reach out her hand. "May I touch your bird?"

The Cherub Prince made a grand gesture with his hand, as if he was all too pleased to hear such a request. "By all means. Her name is Duva." At the sound of her name, the great dove cooed, fluttering her wings lightly.

Much more bravely, Samantha touched her fingers to Duva's feathers. She couldn't tell for a second if she was touching a bird, or a cloud, but it was certainly pleasurable. And the more she stroked Duva, the more the bird cooed, like a puppy when its belly is being scratched in just the right spot.

"She's beautiful," said Samantha.

Duva cooed delicately, as if she understood Samantha's words. She craned her neck slowly to look back at Samantha, who reached to touch her smooth beak.

The Rose Queen chuckled heartily. "I don't believe I have ever seen Duva warm up to someone so swiftly," she noted.

"You know that Duva is a special bird," the Cherub Prince told the Rose Queen. "As far as she can see, the presence of the island lives within this little girl."

"Yes," said the Rose Queen. "I too have noticed it."

Samantha looked away from Duva, and then between the Rose Queen and the Cherub Prince. "The presence of the island?" she asked.

"Meaning, Samantha, that you have been to the island in a past life," said the Cherub Prince. "Not many have it, seeing as this island hasn't been visited as often as, say, New York City. But it takes a special person to come to this place, and not go absolutely mad from all the ancient magic that abides here."

Samantha absentmindedly stroked Duva's feathers while she considered the notion. Of course, she wasn't surprised that not many people had visited Teardrop Island before—at least, not as much as her parents had before. The paintings in her mother's sketchbook proved that. But just…how could the Rose Queen and the Cherub Prince see such an essence in her? Was there some mark on herself that she couldn't see? Or…what?

"But, what is it that gives that away?" Samantha inquired.

"It's not something that ordinary people can see," said the Rose Queen. "It's a sort of…sixth sense, that we spirits have. But, as the Cherub Prince told you, not many people have it, because they don't believe in the magic of this place. However, you do. In point of fact, it's the strongest that we have ever seen from any human who has ventured to this place."

Samantha looked between her friends, her heart beating more quickly with each glance. They said that she could stand being in the presence of such strange magic, but the more she did, the more she found herself wanting to sit down. It was simply breathtaking that, after all this time, she had never discovered that the island her parents held so dearly was…so…magical.

The Rose Queen reached out a hand to catch Samantha as she fell against Duva's side. "Are you ill?" she asked.

Samantha shook her head. "Of course not," she replied lowly. "It's just…just…I-I don't know what to make of all this."

Both the Rose Queen and the Cherub Prince gave her sympathetic looks, though the Cherub Prince was the first to react to Samantha's breakdown. "Simply because you are shocked, it doesn't mean you can't take a ride on a great dove," he said. "Perhaps a gentle flight will calm your nerves."

"I don't know, it may just make me even more excited," Samantha answered nervously.

Then, Duva nudged Samantha off her side gently, cooing, with her large black-glass eyes looking deeply into Samantha's face.

The Cherub Prince grinned knowingly. "I think you know what she is trying to tell you, Samantha."

Samantha stroked Duva's head. "You want me to ride you?"

Duva cooed again, flapping her wings gently, as if to shake them out in preparation for takeoff. She seemed so eager and excited, that Samantha just giggled. She put her hands around the big bird's tender head, smiling. "All right," she finally said. "Just don't make it too bumpy, all right?"


End file.
